A Hidden Kiss
by LiteraryObsessed
Summary: Moira, Angela, and Wendy are cousins. One night, Peter comes to find a new woman for the lost boys because magic has started to leave Neverland since Wendy's death. All three insist on going. The girls, Peter, and the last 2 Boys work to find a solution.
1. Peter Pan's Search

Once upon a time, there were three cousins born to three sisters, who cherished all things Peter Pan. The girls were born within the same year: born together, designed separately. Angela, Moira, and Wendy grew up side by side, best of friends. Angela and Wendy became dancers, while Moira preferred acting. All three excelled in their skills. While they spent much time together, they each loved different things. Angela cared for Batman, in all of his dark glory. Moira followed after their mothers, and loved Peter Pan with all of her heart. Wendy adored Spiderman, with his unique powers and story. This is the telling of their greatest adventure.

Our story begins on one of those dreadfully hot summer days. The girls had just gotten home from a morning trip to the zoo, something they did together every summer after school let out. This was their first trip as high school graduates. As they fought over who got the first shower, a strange boy flew to their window and hovered outside, watching carefully. Angela ultimately won the argument as always, and quickly brushed out her straight dark hair before running to the bathroom. Moira removed her ponytail holder, letting down her long wavy hair. The boy outside admired her tumbling locks and their resemblance to antique gold while she used a small grey flower barrette to pin her bangs back. Wendy gathered her change of clothes while she shook out her curly red hair.

Now, this boy outside the window isn't any ordinary boy. He is a famous boy with a new problem. You see, this young man is named Peter Pan. He is the boy who never grew up, although his title was already starting to change. Ever since he was first visited by Wendy Darling, he knew the real world had knowledge he needed. So he spent three months of every year listening to teenagers, children, and adults. It was through this he discovered that his beloved Wendy died. After hearing this awful news, he swiftly flew back to Neverland, and found that only two of his lost boys remained: Twig and Sprint. They told him that the others went to hunt the week before, and never returned. After a year or two, Peter discovered that he had some hair on his upper lip. Upon this sight, he examined the other two boys and discovered that they both had some facial hair and seemed more muscular, as did he. As he pondered what caused this change, he remembered something he had heard in one of the schools. He had just been bored and sought out the Physical Education class, his favorite to watch. But now, he felt he needed to know more. So Peter returned to the Real World, and found that school was out of session. He scoured the Earth for some glimmer of knowledge, and finally found a student reading a health book during a summer college class. He waited until the boy left for the bathroom, and stole the book. Peter had learned to read a few words here and there, and was able to find the chapter on the subject he needed. However, that was where he became stuck, and couldn't figure out what it said. So he began to hunt for someone who could tell him what it said without thinking he was crazy or dangerous. He searched for years. One day during his pursuit, when he had already been searching for four years, he flew by the window of the three girls and heard his name. He slowly turned around and listened for it again. There! He followed the sound and hovered just outside the window and listened. One girl with golden hair was talking with two others and saying his name again and again. He watched the room every night. He saw her watch movies that looked like his life. He observed the numerous time she would read books with his name on the cover, or Hook's. Waiting outside the window of the three cousins, he became sure she was the one who could help.

Angela left the bathroom in her new outfit and her hair wrapped in a towel. She told Moira to hurry in before Wendy could get her shower. As Moira giggled and tried to quietly lock the door, Wendy saw and, in a blur of movement, pulled her out of the bathroom and shut the door. As Moira sat there in a stupor, Angela laughed at the two and grabbed her phone. Moira opened her laptop and started playing an episode of Scrubs to kill some time. Eventually, it was her turn to wash off the heat of the day. Angela and Wendy went downstairs to fix some lunch for the three of them. While the bedroom was empty, Peter silently opened the window and fluttered into the room. He was enchanted by the amazing things in the room. There were tiny bottles filled with colorful liquids that smelled of flowers and fruit. There were smooth clothes that looked like Wendy's had, but were much smaller. Then he found that book with his name on it. He flipped through it, his ego getting larger with each page telling of his magnificent feats and adventures. He was so engrossed in the book; he didn't hear Moira singing as she came out of the bathroom in her towel.

"Hey! What do you think you're doin-Peter?" Moira's eyes widened as she realized his strange person in her room she'd thought to be a robber was actually the boy she'd read and dreamt about her entire life. He was beautiful. Shaggy brown hair that fell in his blue eyes that looked like a stormy sky. Soft lips that made her knees weak. Muscles from head to toe that made her jaw drop. _Peter Pan is…hot?_ She thought. _That can't be! He's supposed to be, like…TWLEVE! _In her surprise, her towel fell to the floor.

They both stood there awestruck until Peter looked down and saw her. He started to blush and Moira was confused…then she felt the breeze from the open window on her wet skin. She looked down at herself, then up at him, then back down. She scrambled for the towel while Peter turned around and covered him eyes and wondered why she…looked differently than he did. "Um…Yes, I'm Peter Pan. The Boy Who-"

"Who Never Grew Up," Moira interrupted. "I know. You're my favorite story. But…I thought you were younger when you went to Neverland. You look like you're my age."

"That's why I'm here. I need your help. Can you read this?" He pulled the text book from somewhere in his leaves and held it out to her.

_A health textbook? Why does he want me to read this? What does this have to do with aging? Wait a minute… _Moira's face blushed profusely and Peter became confused. He had no idea why her face was turning red. Eventually, Moira collected herself and asked what he was concerned about in the textbook.

"Many years ago, I noticed my Lost Boys and me were growing fur on our faces and got these muscles." He poked at his abs and didn't notice Moira bite her lip. "We need to know why this is happening. I've searched for four years before I found you. I've been watching you for a year now, and if you can't help me…" Peter's eyes started to well up with tears, but he quickly suppressed them and put his fists on his hips. "If you can't help me, I'll figure it out on my own."

Moira chuckled at him. Her dream to meet the real Peter Pan has come true, and he's just as boyish as she thought he'd be. "First off, Peter. It's the Lost Boys and I. Not the Lost Boys and me. That's bad grammar. Secondly, I don't need a textbook to tell you what's happening to your body. You're going through puberty."


	2. Telling the Cousins

Peter looked confused. "What is Pewpertee," he asked slowly. Moira chuckled and led him to her laptop. She looked up a video online that might be shown to kids in school and told him to call her when it was over. She walked out of the room nonchalantly, closed the door, and ran downstairs to tell her cousins what had happened. But when she got to the kitchen, Angela and Wendy were looking at her with raised eyebrows and hands on their hips.

"Care to tell us why we hear a boy's voice and you're in nothing but a towel? If you wanted to bring someone over, we would've have objected. I mean, it's highly out of character for you, but to each her own…" Angela said teasingly. Wendy looked at Moira and put her hands by her sides.

"Wait a minute…that's your surprised and excited face you only get when something really awesome happens. What is really awesome that has happened, Moira? Speak!" Wendy tapped her foot and waited for her cousin to open up. Both girls braced themselves for a story that was sure to be said in one high pitched breath.

"Okay, so I got out of the shower and I was singing that one song by the girl with the stupid face who I really hate but it gets stuck in my head really easily. The one that goes 'Basically all we're gonna do is dance' over and over. But you know how I love repetitive songs like that so I kind of can't help myself-"

"Moira! Focus!" Angela and Wendy shouted in unison. Moira seemed a bit dazed, but quickly got back on track.

"Oh! Sorry. So I came out of the bathroom in my towel, humming and bopping along, when I see this BOY in our room! And he was flipping through my Peter Pan book with his grimy fingers. So I yelled at him when I realized-IT WAS PETER PAN. Like…for seriously, PETER PAN. He flew and everything. And guess what, ladies? AB-BEY ROAD. He's got muscles like you wouldn't believe! But anyways, I was so surprised that I dropped my towel! He saw everything! I was SO embarrassed! I mean, I've only dreamt about meeting a teenage Peter Pan since I found out boys don't really have cooties! So he told me all this stuff and basically, him and the Lost Boys? THEY ARE GOING THROUGH PUBERTY. So he's up there on my laptop, watching a puberty video, IN OUR BEDROOM. I'm freaking out."

"Moira, you've clearly hit your head. Now let's go get that robber out of our room and away from your laptop! I thought you were supposed to be the level headed one. CHEESE AND PEAS, COUSIN." Angela raced up the stairs, followed by Wendy and Moira, who was trying to convince them it was really the storybook legend.

Angela reached the room before the other girls and flung open the door to find Peter Pan on Moira's bed with an extremely confused face and his peep sticking out of his leaves. She turned bright red, turned around, and promptly slammed the door. The other two looked at her with expectant faces and waited impatiently for her to tell them why she didn't go in the room.

"I think we should wait for him to conceal his happy time parts before we confront him."


	3. Getting Ready to Depart

_Please rate and review so I know what you think and if you have any story ideas, be sure to let me know!_

Angela, Wendy, and Moira looked at each other, and after a moment they bursting into laughter after a moment. As they tried to control themselves, Moira approached the door. Taking a big breath, she knocked on the door and asked Peter if he was done watching the video. After hearing some silence, she knocked again. No answer. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Peter was nowhere to be found. She looked around and felt her heart sink when she spotted a blanket on her bed with a Peter-shaped lump underneath. She walked around to him and patted his covered shoulder.

"Peter? It's me, Moira. Can you come out to meet my cousins? I've told them all about you."

A voice muffled by cloth and sobs replied very softly. "You all laughed at me. I chose you because I thought you wouldn't make fun of me. Clearly, I was wrong."

Moira felt her throat close up and her left eye started to water. "Peter, you just caught Angela by surprise. She wasn't expecting you to be…exposed like that." She lifted the blanket and looked into his beautiful blue eyes that took her breath away. "If you let her meet you, I'm sure she would apologize promptly. She loves your stories. So does my other cousin, Wendy."

At that name, Peter's ears pricked up. "Wendy? My Wendy?" As the realization that he would never see his Wendy again dawned on him, Moira watched his body curl up again. He reached for the blanket again, but was stopped by a hand on his wrist. Moira looked up and nudged her head as a signal for her cousins to come back later. They looked at Peter with sympathy and slowly shut the door as they went back downstairs.

"Peter, tell me what's wrong. I'm here to help you, remember?" Moira held his dirty hand in hers and stroked it gently, marveling at his calm behavior. The Peter from her storybooks would never cry in front of anyone, especially a girl.

"Wendy…she's gone. She died." As he struggled to say these words for the first time, his voice broke and he fell into Moira's lap, shaking with sobs. Moira stroked Peter's back and played with his shaggy hair. She gently shushed him and told him it would be okay. The more he cried, the harder it became for her to resist crying, too. Peter Pan was supposed to be the happiest of all creatures, and seeing that he could be in such agony made the entire world seem like a darker place.

Eventually, Peter calmed down and just laid in Moira's lap for a while. Neither of them knew how much time had passed since the girls left them. As Moira stroked Peter's hair, she heard him slowly fall asleep. She carefully replaced her lap with a pillow and left, but not before gently kissing his forehead and whispering to him.

"I'll always be here for you, Peter."

Moira glided down the stairs to find her cousins sitting at the kitchen counter, talking softly while sipping from beverage-filled glasses. They heard her bare feet on the hardwood floors and turned with fretful faces.

"How is he?" Angela asked with an uncharacteristic amount of concern. Wendy got up to fix another glass of Moira's addiction: sweet tea. "We didn't think he'd hear us laugh. I feel awful." Wendy nodded and set the cup in front of a solemn Moira, who let a sad smile appear for a moment at the sight of her favorite drink.

"He's sleeping on my bed now. He's absolutely heart-crushed, Wen." The small reference to the Bones show that Wendy and Moira adored let them all know she would be back to her casual self soon. "He cried on my lap for a while, and then he stopped and drifted off. Guys…Wendy died."

The two girls looked at her with horror and surprise. They didn't know what to say, so they allowed an unsettling silence to fall as they stared into their cups and searched for the words that had abandoned them. Angela was the first to speak. "Well, that explains why you've been in there with him for two hours."

"What? It was that long?" Moira checked her phone's clock and wondered how that much time could have passed without her noticing. As she was about to start telling the girls about her odd connection she felt with Peter, a sound from upstairs caused them all to look up.

Peter woke up a few moments after Moira left. He looked around the room and simply laid under the soft blanket that smelled of the girl he'd studied for a year. After the sleep stopped hanging around him, he flew gently out of her bed and inspected her belongings. He found some sketches of outfits with names of people he knew like Tinker Bell and Tiger Lily, people who had long since left his life, along with the magic of Neverland. After he examined a picture of her leaning against a tree for what seemed like a few seconds, he sat the picture down on the bed and walked out of the room. Not thinking about what was on the floor in front of him, he didn't see the book in front of him and tripped, sprawling face first on the floor. He quickly stood up and put his hands on his hips just in case anyone saw. After safely assessing that no one witnessed his fall, he looked for what caused it. He found a small journal on the ground. He heard someone coming up the stairs and quickly hid the journal so he could try to read it later. He looked to see who was approaching and saw Moira's face peek out from the staircase.

"Hey, you woke up. How are you feeling?" She smiled softly and walked toward him, careful not to scare him away. He seemed exhausted, and yet relieved. Who knew if he had told anyone else about Wendy? His limbs dragged a bit as he came to her.

"Moira, can I stay the night with you? I really don't feel like going back to Neverland tonight, not when I feel like this." He cringed at his wording. Feel. Peter Pan wasn't supposed to feel…anything. Feelings were part of growing up, the one thing he swore he would never do.

Moira told him she'd ask her cousins, but she was sure it was fine. Meanwhile, they needed to get him something to wear. She selected a large t-shirt from an ex-boyfriend she slept in occasionally and found him some men's cargo shorts in her casual drawer. Peter marveled at how she knew just where everything was and how everything was in its place. Her part of the room was pristine, whereas her cousins' parts had some charming clutter to them, much more like what he was used to.

Moira took Peter's hand and led him to the bathroom. "No offense, dear. But you're filthy. Take a shower and get dressed." After setting the clothes and a towel on a shelf by the door, she demonstrated how to turn the hot and cold water on, which products were for what, and left him to his own devices. "Just shout if you need anything, dear." Moira felt like she was dealing with a lost child, but felt like an idiot after remembering that is precisely what Peter Pan is.

Peter tried to remember all of his instructions, but everything was so slippery and he dropped the bottles multiple times. The shampoo stung his eyes and the shower floor was difficult to maneuver without falling. After a few minutes of adapting, he was able to appreciate why the mermaid spent all their time bathing. He felt great, smelled great, and all his sadness from earlier had disappeared.

When he dried off and put his new clothes on, he stepped out. His eyes found Moira at her laptop, typing. She looked up when the sound of a closing door reached her ears. "Look at you! Delightful." The laptop was closed and she went to him, taking his hand. "Let's go back to the girls. They're immensely curious."

At her touch, Peter felt something in his stomach that made him lurch. Moira turned back and asked him what was wrong. He told her his insides felt odd and he didn't know why. "Are you hungry? We can get some food." Peter assumed she must be right and nodded. He was too tired to ask any more questions.

As Moira descended into the kitchen, Angela and Wendy jumped forward to ask questions, but one look at Moira let them know he still needed some time to adjust and calm down. Moira made some pork medallions while the girls introduced themselves to Peter. Angela quickly made herself a favorite of Peter's, due to her sarcastic nature that made him laugh. Wendy was disheartened that Peter didn't seem to want to talk to her. But Moira whispered that it was probably due to her name reminding him of his loss, and she felt a bit better. They all decided to refer to her by her nickname: Donna, which stemmed from her ginger hair and sassy attitude, similar to the characters from Doctor Who and That 70's Show. Peter seemed confused by this but soon warmed up to the girl who no longer forced him to remember his pain. Soon, Moira finished cooking and plated the pork for all four of them, knowing the girls loved a nice meal was cooked for them. Peter seemed hesitant at first, especially when Moira made him use silverware. But after he got the hang of his knife and fork, his food was gone in a flash. After Moira cleared the plates, she had an announcement.

"Ladies, pack your suitcases. We're going with Peter to Neverland tomorrow. We're going to figure out what's making the magic disappear. We're going to help Peter Pan."


	4. Threats from the Cousins

"Angela, you're a friggin GENIUS! Our moms will pee themselves!" Wendy screamed and started hugging her. Angela pushed her away with fake irritation and gave her a look that declared she knew it was a good idea. Moira told them to throw their stuff in the car while she grabbed a couple more things and called the parents to tell them to meet at Angela's mom's house. Peter decided to stay with the girls so he could get to know the people so close to this girl he'd been studying.

"So, Peter. Tell us about yourself. Besides the fact that you like Moira." Angela didn't have much tolerance for beating around the bush.

"What do you mean like?" Peter's eyebrows furrowed and his mouth opened slightly to reveal his bright teeth behind full lips. Angela explained that like means to have romantic feelings for someone, and Peter blushed. Wendy and Angela look at each other and smiled. Moira was a lucky girl.

"I don't really know Moira. But my stomach felt funny earlier when she touched me. She said I was probably hungry. Was she right? Or do I 'like' her?" Wendy put her arm around Pan's shoulders.

"Oh, Peter. You're more smitten than a kitten in a mitten. But it's sweet. And we know you need her help. So we'll let it slide." Wendy removed her arm from Peter as her and Angela shared a glance. Angela pushed Peter against the side of the car and Wendy wrapped her fingers in his hair and pulled his face down to their level. Wendy spoke first.

"Listen, kid. Moira is just getting over an awful breakup. She was pre-engaged for three years and almost was saving herself for their wedding night. He changed his mind and left her. If you ever. And we mean EVER. Hurt our Moira, we'll come after you. She is too caring and trusting to let someone in just to be let down yet again. I don't know how she's managed to stay so optimistic all this time, but she does. If you crush her heart, she may never recover. Your story has always been the thing that brought her out of the dark. You know that thing you have that we don't? Down there hidden in your leaves?"

Angela leaned closer to his ear and softly whispered a violent and strange threat. "We'll slowly tear it off and force it into your nose. Do you want that Peter? Do you?" Both girls leaned back and let go to the boy who could probably take them down in half of a second.

Peter's eye searched frantically for any clue that they were joking, but in vain. He slowly swallowed, looked down at his leaf pants, and looked back at the girls. "No madams, I do not. Not at all."

"Good." Both girls smirked and started to get in the car when Peter's voice stopped them.

"But that's not why I won't hurt her. She's known about my entire life. She grew up knowing me. She will never judge me. She won't hate me, or betray me, or…or leave me like Wendy did." A tear leaked from his deep blue eyes that he wiped away furiously. "Moira is the first person I've allowed myself to cry in front of. And I will never do anything to mess that up. I care for her. And I won't let that be cheapened by angry threats, no matter who they come from."

The girls looked at Peter blankly for what seemed like a lifetime. Slowly they looked at each other, and then back at the curious fellow who surprised them every moment. Then they leaped forward and wrapped their arms around him. "Thank you." Wendy whispered, followed by Angela, stating "She's needed someone just like you for so long."

"Good to see my favorite people are getting along so well!" Moira skipped out of the house with a bright smile and a tote on her elbow. It lightened her heart to see her favorite people bonding. As she bounced toward them with no knowledge of why they were hugging or why the girls looked so teary and Peter so frightened, they all separated and got into the car. Moira sat with Peter in the back seat while the cousins sat up front. Angela drove and she turned on the radio after backing out of the drive way. Instantly, 'All I Do is Win' came on from the start. The girls all laughed while Moira jumped up and pretended to have a microphone and started rapping along with Ludacris.

Peter looked at this girl in awe. He had no idea what she was saying, but she was spitting out words at a mile a minute. After she finished, the cousins laughed and changed the station to something a bit calmer. Peter still looked stunned, so Wendy explained what just happened.

"Alright, Peter. One thing you need to know about Moira is that she LOVES to rap. She's fairly good at it too, for being such a nerdy white girl."

"Hey!" Moira giggled and swatted at the ginger's head. Peter let a soft smile settle over his lips and stared out the window to look at the world he would be leaving soon. The trees so small, flowers so tame, everything so organized and neat. Nothing like Neverland. Nothing like home.

The girls sang along to radio and got increasingly excited the closer they got to their destination. They decided Moira would tell the dads because she had a way of making things seem less extreme than they truly were, while the other two told their moms, Moira joining in at the end to rehash some details. Then, a last delicious meal at home and off to Neverland!

Finally, the car stopped in a beautiful house in a suburb a bit bigger than the one the girls lived in. They told Peter to stay outside the door so he would be a surprise. He agreed and started practicing his handshake for the dads. He'd practiced with the two lost boys when he pretended to be their father, but he suddenly felt very nervous to be meeting a real father, let alone three.

The girls walked in and hugged and kissed all six parents and told them they had some big news. While they all arranged themselves in the living room, Moira left to get Peter.

"Peter? It's time."


	5. Meeting the Parents

Peter swallowed hard and nodded softly. Moira could sense his hesitation and reached out a comforting hand with a reassuring smile on her face. He looked down at her outstretched arm and grasped her hand before smiling back at her. "I'm ready."

Moira led him into the house and into the living room. Peter saw six people: their parents. His palms got sweaty again and he stood slightly behind Moira. She chuckled under her breath and looked at the gathering of adults. "Everyone, meet Peter Pan."

The mothers all looked at him in awe, their jaws on the floor. Moira's mother clasped her hands over her heart and started laughing in joy. This reaction was mirrored by Angela's mom, while Wendy's mother practically fainted. The fathers were not as pleased. Moira squeezed Peter's hand and smiled at him again before letting go and taking the hands of hers and Angela's fathers. "Come on, Dads. I'll explain." She nudged the leg of Wendy's dad and pulled them into the side room. She stood in the center of the room as she waited for them to sit down and stop grumbling in disbelief. "Alright, guys. I know you don't believe me. But it's very true. Peter Pan is real, and he's come from Neverland." She saw her father, Rick, begin to open his mouth. "Ah, wait. Let me explain." She described why he was older and the predicament that caused him to find her and the cousins. When she finished, Angela's dad, Frederick, was scratching his head in confusion and Oliver, Wendy's father, was obviously spinning gears in his mind. Her father was still sitting there, not wanting to believe this fairy-boy had come to their world all of a sudden.

"Alright. Well, I still don't think it's true. But I suppose we should at least meet him." Rick stood up and stretched his arms in a threatening manner, ready to hurt anyone who dared come into his daughter's window. The other men walked into the living room where everyone else was and left them to discuss the situation. "Moira, I'm not happy about this. He's lying to all of you. Peter Pan doesn't exist. Mermaids don't exist. Fairies don-"

Moira slapped a hand over his mouth and glared at him. "Père, you know what happens when you say that. Don't you dare." He softened at the name she used for him, French for father. He was a chef, and he taught her everything he knew when he learned that she wanted to go to France one day and open a sidewalk café. They spoke to each other in French when things weren't as they should be, and it was always their little bond. He moved her hand and took her up in his arms, an action that lifted her inches off the ground.

"I don't want to lose you, mon Cherie." He set her back down and bit his lip, holding back the fear that her dreams would be cut short.

She touched his face gently and kissed his cheek. "I'll be fine, Daddy. Don't worry. You raised me to protect myself, and I intend to make you proud."

A laugh came from his mouth and he put an arm around her before leading her into the living room. "I'll always be proud of you."

Moira and Rick entered the room to find Peter being poked and prodded by the mothers. The girls were sitting on the couch laughing and the fathers were looking at him disapprovingly. Rick pulled his wife to another couch and sat down next to her. "Ileana, I'm not happy about this." She smiled and kissed him before turning back to the frenzy around Peter.

The girls pulled their parents to the couches and stood up with Moira and Peter in the middle of the room again. Moira put her hand on Peter's back and looked around at the adults. "Aunt Susan, Uncle Frederick. Angela is coming with coming with me and Peter to Neverland. So is Wendy, Uncle Oliver and Aunt Kelly." They all nodded back at her and she knew that their daughters had told them of their plan to go. Rick wasn't pleased, but he trusted her judgment and knew the girls wouldn't let any harm come to one another. They all hugged their daughters and nieces, teary-eyed and excited for them. After sad farewells and promises of safety, they left the house and climbed back into the car. Angela got behind the wheel again and Moira sat with Peter to see how he felt about their parents.

"They're very…excitable, the mothers. The dads didn't seem to like me, but I don't know why." Peter's brow furrowed and he looked at her. "Why didn't they like me, Moira? I don't think I did anything wrong. I was very quiet."

She smiled gently and touched his arm lightly. "I'm sure you were very pleasant. It's just something fathers do. They're protective of their daughters and don't like when they're taken away." She looked out the window a moment, looking out at the town she'd grown up in. "You'll understand when you're a dad one day." She felt Peter flinch away from her and she realized what she'd said. "Peter, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. I forgot who I was talking to." She reached for his hand again, and sat back when he continued to turn towards the window and away from her. "We'll find a way to fix this, I promise. You won't have to keep aging."

His head turned slightly back towards her and frowned. "It's okay. I know the chances of things returning to normal are slim. But thank you for trying to help." He looked up at the two girls in the front. "Thank all of you. It means a lot."

Angela and Wendy nodded their heads with warm smiles. The car pulled into their house and the girls all looked at Peter. Wendy spoke first. "Alright. What do we do from here? Do we leave now, or at night, when?"

Peter shook his head in an annoyed manner. "We have to leave at night, of course. The stars aren't out during the day. How much longer until it gets really dark?"

Angela rolled her eyes at him. "No need for 'tude, sir. And there's still quite a few hours. Four or five, at least." They got out of the car and headed back into the house. Peter felt bad for rejecting Moira before and reached for her hand, hoping she would see that he was sorry. She felt his touch and quickly squeezed his hand, giving him a happy smile. He sighed in relief and watched as Angela and Wendy plopped on the couch.

They began discussing how to kill time before they could leave. Moira dismissed herself to clean their room, not wanting to leave the house in disarray. The girls decided to fix some sandwiches, in case they didn't like the food in Neverland. This made Peter huffy and he chose to talk to Moira as she cleaned.


	6. Killing Time

Angela and Wendy waited for Peter to zoom up the stairs before turning to each other and discussing the day so far. Wendy leaned over the counter and spoke first.

"Well, our moms loved him. Dads weren't pleased. But Moi-"

"Did you see how calm he would get after she touched him? Which she did frequently. She's going to fall hard for him."

"And he'll fall for her, if he'll let himself. He won't like what she wants though."

"He'll hate it."

The girls looked at each other sadly and silently for a moment before taking out the ingredients and quietly made the sandwiches. They knew Moira dreamed of marriage, being a housewife and a mother. One reason she had loved Peter Pan's story so much is that she was able to live her childhood out forever through him, moving on with life in every aspect except in his adventures. If she opened her heart and allowed herself to fall in love with Peter, who didn't want to grow old with her, she would probably never love again after he left.

Moira looked at the large bedroom, clothes and accessories strewn everywhere. She sighed heavily and set to work gathering the fabric pieces that lay in piles on every surface before sorting them out between the owners. She turned to get hangers from the closet and saw Peter standing in front of her, a gasp leaving her throat. "Oh, Peter. You startled me." A light lilting laugh showed she was fine and she set to work again.

Peter looked around for an empty seat in vain, deciding instead to hover in the air in a sitting position. He watched her move around the room in decisive lines, a content smile on her face as the room began to look more organized. "Why do you clean so much?" He hated the chore and the treehouse in Neverland was proof of it.

She looked up and chuckled lightly. "I'm really not sure. I've never been a big fan of mess. I feel like things are much happier when all is in the proper place." She finished putting away the mounds of clothes and started on the miscellaneous debris lying around. Soon, the room was clean again and she began straightening her own things.

Peter now stepped back on the ground and began looking around at the now neat surroundings. He walked to the bookshelf and saw labels marking which shelf belonged to whom. Wendy had books on subjects ranging from dance to clothing. Angela preferred books on improving her writing or teen romance novels, much like the stories she liked to write. He sat down to look at Moira's choices, and saw multiple copies of books with his name. Some were worn and falling apart, while one was fanciful but used. He turned to her with a confused expression and pointed at it. "What's this one for?"

Moira hardly heard him as she was focusing on her organizing. After he repeated his question, she broke from her trance and looked back at him. "What?" Walking over to him, she saw what he was pointing at and smiled before sitting down next to him and taking it from the shelf. "This is the copy our mothers grew up with. They passed it on to me when I showed their love for the story, and one day I'll give it to my children." She put it back in its place and pulled out the second most worn copy with a grin. "This is my favorite one. It's the one I write in." She handed it to him and showed him the dog-eared pages, highlighted passages, and notes in the margins. "But I suppose you already know about everything in these books." She stood up and returned to her desk, sitting down to write letters to her pen pals, not wanting them to worry about her absence. A few tears filled her eyes as she wrote that she would be gone for a while, and might not be able to return. She didn't want to say where she was going, but was careful to stress that she wasn't in danger of any sort, although the lie hurt.

Peter heard a sniffle and put the book back in the empty space of the shelf and walked to her. "What's wrong?" He sat on her desk top and looked down at her.

"Oh, nothing. Just tying up a few loose ends, dear." She wiped her eyes and gave him a weak smile. She finished her letters and reached for the drawer holding her envelopes and stamps only to see that Peter's legs held it closed. She gave him a playfully frustrated look and pushed his knees to the side so she had access to her things.

He smiled sheepishly as he realized he was in the way and observed her folding the pages and sticking them into envelopes with carefully written addresses. She licked an envelope's edge and he tilted his head. Opening the drawer and taking one out, he watched her lick another and mimicked her. "Ugh! That tastes awful!" He threw it on the ground and grimaced before frowning at her. "Why do you do that?"

She laughed again and picked up the envelope to see if it was salvageable. "There's something called adhesive on the back that, when moistened, sticks to the edge and holds the envelope closed." She put her last letter in the envelope and put the necessary amount of postage on each finished set of mail. "Come with me to the mailbox to send these?" He nodded and hopped off the desk, walking behind her.

_AN: Hey guys! I know that not much happened in this chapter, but I'm just getting back into the swing of writing again and I need to get to know these characters again. Also, please review so I can get feedback and see what you guys want to see more of. Thanks!_


	7. Dinner Time

_AN: Hey guys! So I don't know how many people read this, but I would really love to get some reviews. They make me feel like I'm not just writing for my own benefit. If I get reviews, I want to write for y'all, and there are more frequent updates. Otherwise, I just write whenever I feel so inclined. _

_Alright. On to the story…_

Moira walked down the stairs, Peter in tow. Wendy and Angela had finished the sandwiches and were now watching a Batman movie intensely. Angela adored Batman and owned every cinematic adaptation ever made. Moira laughed before covering her mouth, knowing that violence awaited anyone who interrupted one of her many viewings of the movies. She motioned to Peter to be silent and they sneaked out of the house to mail the letters.

An expression of realization set over Peter's face and he laughed. Moira looked at him in confusion and asked what was so funny.

"When Wendy first asked me where I live, she asked if-"

"If that's what they put on the letters. This is what she meant." Moira gave him a sweet smile. "Do you know how letters and mail work?" Peter shook his head and looked at her, hoping she would explain so his memory of Wendy could live a bit longer. She explained that everyone has an address, a place where they can be found. This address is written on an envelope and the postal service sends all letters with that address to the place. "And that's what Wendy was asking about. When she thought your mother got letters, she was wondering if that was your address."

Peter laughed gaily and flew in the air before hastening back down, knowing he shouldn't be seen. "I've wondered for so long what she was talking about! Now I've figured it out!" Moira quirked an eyebrow at him and shook her head teasingly.

"Oh, the cleverness of you." She laughed and began walking back to the house. She was sad that she would probably never be able to send a letter again. Nothing put a smile on her face more than finding a letter in the mailbox, not even Peter's story. It was a simple pleasure she'd come to cherish, finding pen pals from all over the world that shared her passion. She decided to take some of her favorite letters with her to relive the small joy that each handwritten page brought.

Peter scurried up beside her and laughed, bringing her out of her thoughts again. "Hey, that's what I say." She smiled at him, chuckling lightly and linking her arm in his. They entered the house and sat on the couch between the other two girls and watched the movie a bit. Peter kept asking questions and Angela had given him a few more bruises than he needed, so Moira took him to the kitchen to fix him something to eat. Little did they know that Wendy and Angela had agreed to leave them to their own devices as much as possible to ensure they would get to know each other better. As soon as the two left the living room, the cousins shared a knowing glance and smiled before returning to the movie.

Moira led Peter to the kitchen and he sat in a stool. "Why did Angela keep punching me?"

Moira grinned and explained her obsession with Batman. "It's like me with Pete-you." She rolled her eyes at herself and laughed. "Or, rather your story. It's a bit odd to say I'm obsessed with you, I suppose." She took a bottle of green tea out of the fridge and took a sip from it. "What would you like to eat before we go? And drink?" She took out a pan and cutting board before removing a few chicken breasts from the fridge where she'd put them to thaw that morning.

"I'm not sure. What are you making?" He watched her smooth movements as she took out ingredients and lined them up around her.

"Garlic brown sugar chicken. It's a personal favorite. I promised the girls I would make it for dinner tonight. I'll make more than we need so you can have some if you like it." She turned on the stove and set the frying pan down, allowing it to heat as she chopped garlic and set it in a small bowl. She placed the butter in the hot pan and let it melt on her spoon as she pushed it around slowly. Next, the garlic went in the pan and she browned it carefully. She removed a couple extra chicken breasts and washed them before setting them on a plate. While the garlic and butter mixed, she washed the cutting board and set it in the strainer. After inspecting the frying pan, she decided the garlic was brown enough for the chicken to go in and began adding the chicken breasts. The third one splashed the melted butter on her wrist and she gasped in surprise at the sudden pain. Peter rushed over to see if she was fine, but she held him away until the chicken was all in the pan and covered with a lid.

"No worries, dear. I was just startled. It happens all the time." She wiped off her wrist gingerly before turning it over to show him small pale dots on the underside of her forearm where she'd been burned multiple times by the exact same incident. He frowned and sat back in his stool. She gave him a kind smile and opened the cabinet to take out a glass for him. "You never told me what you'd like to drink, you know."

He shrugged and walked over to the fridge to see what they had. He was enchanted by the multitude of colors and shapes in the cold box, as he was only used to the fruits and berries of Neverland. Moira stepped over and saw his expression, laughing mentally before pointing out the drinks they had. "Green tea, water, soda, grape juice, apple juice, orange juice, milk, sweet tea, and pom juice." Peter looked at the options in confusion and looked at her, unaware of what to choose. "Well, I guess you'll have to try everything then." She left to get some paper cups from the bathroom and brought a small stack back to the kitchen. She lined them up and filled each one half-full with everything they had. She held him the first cup and grinned. "Green tea with mixed berry. My second favorite." He took a sip and grimaced. A chuckle left her throat and she threw the cup away. "It's an acquired taste. Try the soda." It proved too bubbly for Peter and he nearly choked on the foreign texture.

They repeated this process until all the cups were in the trash and he declared his favorite to be sweet tea. Moira grinned and poured more sweet tea in his glass and gave it to him. "That's my absolute favorite. The girls say I'm addicted, but I prefer the term 'intensely and violently passionate about.' It sounds much better." She checked on the chicken and flipped the breasts over so they could cook all the way through. After a few more minutes of idle chat, the chicken was cooked and Moira went back to the stove. She opened the lid and set it in the sink while the steam left the pan. She took the chicken out and set them on the now dry and clean cutting board. Her bowl of brown sugar was moved closer and she began rubbing it into the meat. Peter watched in awe as the sugar glazed and slightly sunk into the chicken as she let it rest. After her five minute timer went off, she took out four plates and put two chicken breasts on each. She set them all around the table with their flatware and called for the girls to come eat. Instantly, scrambling was heard and everyone was sitting at their plates within seconds. Moira made the girls pray before cutting open their food and gulping it down. Peter poked at the chicken, not quite sure if he would like it. Angela cut a piece for him and stabbed it with his fork.

"Eat or I'll eat it for you."

Peter took the fork from her and stuck it in his mouth cautiously. He chewed a bit before his eyes widened and he smiled. "This is delicious!" He picked up the chicken and began tearing off pieces with his mouth, eating in one of the most grotesque ways they had ever seen. Moira grabbed Peter's arm and gave him a death glare before speaking in a dangerously quiet voice.

"Use your knife and fork or you will not eat my cooking." She let go of his arm and watched him, the glare not leaving her face. Angela and Wendy looked down at their food and stifled laughter. They knew better than to eat roughly when Moira cooked. She had little patience for bad manners, no matter who you were. Peter looked at her with fear, not having seen this side of Moira yet. He slowly picked up his utensils and cut a bite clumsily, smiling weakly at her for approval. She quickly replaced her glare with a sweet smile and went back to her food. "Much better, love."

Peter looked at the other girls for an explanation, but with one look from his confused eyes, they burst into laughter. Angela finally regained control and offered no reasoning behind her cousin, but simply told them to finish up. A tilt of her head towards the window made them all look, and everyone took a collective deep breath.

It was dark outside. They needed to leave for Neverland.

_AN: Alright, guys! Hope you enjoyed this last chapter of them in the real world. Next chapter will have them all departing for Neverland and will briefly deal with their new surroundings. I don't want to set a review bar because I hate when other authors do that, but I would really appreciate any reviews. If I get more than three, I'll randomly choose one reviewer to have a pirate named after them. _


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